Risk-taking Behaviour

Chapter 9- Social influences on the individual.

Pg 409-411

Risk-taking Behaviour

Behavior that has a potential negative consequence.

Potential risk to the individual’s psychological or physical health and wellbeing.

Is this risky behaviour?

Is this risky behaviour?

Is this risky behaviour?

Is this risky behaviour?

Is this risky behaviour?

ACTIVITY 1.

Rick-taking game.

Create groups of 4

Take turns in placing negative risk-taking behaviours in order between most risky to least risky

Discuss findings as a class

Doesn’t have to Negative!

Sometime we engage in risky behaviour which can have positive effects on health.

Taking a risk to start something new can give us more confidence and self esteem.

Starting apprenticeship

Wearing ‘daring’ new fashion

Positive Risk-taking behaviour

Still risky because there is still the potential for negative health consequences.

Question:

What are the possible negative health consequences from starting a new apprenticeship or wearing daring new fashion?

Costs of risky behaviours

Social cost- embarrassment or failure

Physical cost- accident or injury

Emotional cost- fear or sadness

Gullone & Moore (2000)

Four types of risk-taking behaviour:

1. Thrill-seeking

2. Reckless

3. Rebellious

4. Anti-social

Thrill-seeking

Socially acceptable

Challenging

Experimental

Eg. Bungee Jumping

Reckless

Higher chance of not being socially acceptable

Dangerous

Negative social and health outcomes

Eg. Unprotected sex

Rebellious

Acceptable for adults but not for youths.

Acting out

Attention seeking

Eg. Underage drinking

Anti-social

Unacceptable for adults and youths

Deviant behaviours

Eg. Bullying

Activity 2.

In your workbooks, analyse your four highest ranking risk factors.

You need to explain what kind of risk factor they are

You need to explain what the social cost of each of the behaviours are

Trends in adolescent risk-taking behaviours

Gullone and Moore found that adolescents are more likely to engage in thrill-seeking risks.

Male youths tend to engage in more risk-taking behaviours.

Female youths tend to judge behaviours as more risky than males youths.

Factors in risk-taking behaviour

Peer pressure

Age,

Sex,

Personality type

Mental health

Family background

Culture

Percieved risk

However…..

Psychologists have no complete explanation as to why youths engage in risk taking.

Psychologists have no exact solution for youth risk-taking behaviour.

Activity 3.

Write about a time when you have engaged in a risk-taking activity.

What kind of risk taking activity was it?

What was the cost of the behaviour?

What influenced you to do this activity?